§ Mrs. Peacockasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give urgent consideration to the introduction of legislation requiring the licensing, by his Department, of all establishments doing research on human embryos and in vitro fertilisation.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeBecause the Government were concerned about these matters, we set up, in July 1982, the Warnock inquiry into human fertilisation and embryology which is considering as part of its work research on human embryos and in vitro fertilisation. I agree that these questions and the ethical problems posed by the growing amount of work in these fields need urgent consideration. We will decide what action is needed when we consider the inquiry's report, which we expect to receive this summer.